A Short Time Ago, In A Country Far, Far, Away // Argentina

 

We are teaming up with a YWAM base. YWAM is Youth With A Mission. This is one of many YWAM bases all over the world. This particular one focuses on youth outreach, like sports and camps as a tangible way for kids and teenagers to learn about Jesus’ love. They also provide hands on training and schooling for young adults that’s missions focused.

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I was super pumped when we arrived here because it has a kids camp vibe to it and i LOVED summer camp growing up. I have also been super intrigued by this organization and excited to have hands on experience and form relationships with the staff. Though this atmosphere is a bit more primitive than the camp I grew up in haha, but it’s such a fun transition from the amenities my team and I had in Santiago, Chile.

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The ministry also looks vastly different, as well as it’s all squad month so all 50+ of us are together on base, including coaches and mentors from Adventures in Missions. I was pumped up, ready to go from the moment our bus dropped us off here, with a heck yes, let’s get to work mindset!!! Couldn’t wait to update everyone via a cute little insta post about my arrival! There was one itty bitty glitch in my well meaning plans: THERE IS NO WIFI HERE. Not for the staff, not for anybody including us, so me. I DON’T HAVE WIFI. Let me be so real as to say I had to hold in a slight sigh of WHAT THE HECK, THIS. This is when abandonment REALLY starts for me anyway haha. A few racers opted in for a social media fast our first month, some decided at debrief that this current month they would fast from it’s ¦more focus, less connection with home and distractions etc etc. I was not one of those racers. I was like I haven’t heard God tell me to take a break from it, I mean, I use it as a ministry, AND I’m still fundraising. BUT if God were to tell me and make it clear I should take a break of some sort or scale back, then yeah, Id do it i guess. Yeah, my God knows I need clear direction haha. How much clearer could it be right? So yup, to get wifi is a trek outside the base that I don’t have much time for honestly so we will see how often that happens and even IF that happens. This blog you’re reading wasn’t even posted by me *gasp* It was posted by our story teller leader( who just happens to be one of my best friends-shout out to Miranda )on my behalf.

Day one of ministry began today. The squad is seperated into our teams to divide and conquer all the different jobs, work, and ‘ministry’ that YWAM has for us here. Myself and the rest of Team Radiate were chosen to do manual labor for the day. They led us to this HUGE pool( like a legit community pool )that they want to get ready for the summer that is approaching( YEAH, summer. It’s spring-ish here. I KNOW. Weird ). We spent the day inside the ridiculously huge pool, raking up the leaves into piles, then sweeping up what was left after raking up the leaves, then filling up a wheel barrow, and repeat. We put in about 8 hours on that pool.
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We have the sun tan( or burns depending on who you are ), sore muscles, and blistered hands to prove it! I myself am rockin the missionary tan.  While some may have dreaded such a task, Team Radiate went at it with a positive mindset and excitement as we knew this was a huge job that they NEEDED done. We were able to see our efforts put to use and had an end goal in mind. I myself sang Taylor Swift and Hillsong while also proudly proclaiming how cool I am now that I have man hands hahahah.
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Near the end of our work day, someone on staff turned on the waterfall that pours into the pool for a little while so a couple little boys could play, cause man was it HOT. They were having so much fun and I looked around at my teammates and was like, I think I’m gonna go do that-a little boy was behind the waterfall and grabbed my hands and pulled me in”and in I went, with my work clothes and shoes on, then we played and tried to catch minnows in the water. All in all, probably my favorite day on the race so far. God is showing me that ministry doesn’t have to look like one thing or another. Ministry can look like anything. I’ve said for about a year now that I KNOW God wants me in full-time ministry but I have no idea what that looks like, well, I think this year I’m going to have so many opportunities and all types of ‘ministry’ to grow in, learn from, and see where my spiritual gifts, and calling align .

 

 

Please keep me, my team, and entire squad in your prayers. Health, safety, and boldness-things we struggled with the first month. Also, I’m not sure where I am at with my fundraising goal as I write this blog since I don’t have internet access, I know before I left debrief I was nearly at my 13,000 November goal. This still means I need to raise 5,017 by the end of January. I need YOU. I’m not ready or willing to quit or come home early. I’m here for a reason. I’m here because God called and I said YES. So I KNOW He can bring in the money because it IS all His money anyway, but I also know He uses YOU and others to fulfill His plans. I’m stepping out, would you go with me? Keep checking back to this blog for photos ….coming as I have internet 🙂